Twenty Six years later
by Izzie17
Summary: Some things don't end. Lily Potter starts her fifth year at Hogwarts everything is fine until her father shows up unexpected and wary of her new friends what secret is he hiding and more importantly what does it have to do with her her new friend Tom?
1. Chapter 1

It was a cold crisp autumn day. The first of September to be exact. Lily felt like she was about to puke. Two weeks ago she was more than happy to return to Hogwarts. But that was two weeks ago and this was now.

"Lily sweet are you coming?" Ginny asked her daughter. Ginny smiled down on the tiny incarnation of herself. How the years flew by. Ginny glanced around at her children, Albus was about to start his final year at Hogwarts and Lily was just about to begin her Fifth.

How the years flew by.

'Ya, I'm coming." Lily shook her head to clear her thoughts. She smiled at her mother taking her arm. "Write to me everyday?" She asked as they walked slowly down the crowded platform.

"Don't I always?" Ginny fixed her daughters collar. Looking her up and down she noticed how Lily looked more and more like Harry every day. Well sort of. Lily had her mothers flaming red hair and slight build. But she had her father's eyes and with those eyes she held all the mischief that came along with them. Ginny sighed like any other exasperated mother.

"Try not to get into trouble this time? Neville and McGonagall are already worried enough. They don't need to worry about you too!" She chastised her reckless daughter.

"What are they worried about?" Lily asked before her mother could say anything else.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with young lady now go find your brother!" Ginny smiled lovingly.

"Fine!" Lily sighed dramatically and turned on her heels trying to get through the crowd. This is what it had been like for the last two weeks.

Secrets.

Something was happening and Lily wanted to know what. For the last few weeks Lily hadn't seen her father. He came in the middle of the night and left again early the next morning. James was nearly the same way. He had always been her favorite brother but now that he had left Hogwarts and was starting a Job as…… Lily thoughts trailed off. What did James do? She thought that he wanted to be an Auror. A family obsession Lily decided a long time ago. But for the last year or so James had been doing odd jobs and such. It was insane really And It left Lily with the thought that she really knew nothing about her favorite brother.

"AL!" Lily hollered over the heads of some lowly- First years. "AL!"

Albus Severus Potter looked up from his friends. Glancing at his sister he kicked his best mate Fred (For some reason his parents liked the name) For smiling when he saw her approaching.

"Hey Lil," Albus feigned a smile at her before returning to talking to his friends.

"Al, mum wants to say goodbye." She placed her hands on her hips in a very Ginny like movement.

"Fine. See ya." He nodded towards his friends. "Has dad shown up yet?" He asked Lily. Albus was never much for caring what the adults did around him. Even thought he was soon to be one himself he never got why Harry and Ginny were so uptight some times. Now that he thought about it Ron and Hermione were like that as well about a few select things.

"No," Lily walked next to her brother not showing him how much it worried her. Dad was usually the one to escort them every step when they had to leave home. And he was the first face they saw when they had to come home from Hogwarts.

"He'll be here." Lily wondered how he could be so sure of himself. Al was always sure. Lily was always confused.

"There you are!" Ginny caught sight of her children again smiling to herself. She had no reason to be so worked up! She thought. Harry would smooth this over with in no time. And she was not the only one. James Potter's face lit up when he saw his brother and sister.

"James!" Lily shrieked running into his arms. Forgetting that at fifteen she should be concerned about appearances. Or at least that is what Mimi (Scorpio's resident girlfriend) had said.

"How you been?" James was happy to see her again. After all he had barely slept in nearly a month.

"Better than you!" She observed.

"Well that's a good thing." James looked over to his mother, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She smiled in gratitude and covered up her feelings. She was a bit out of practice but it still did the trick. When Albus gave her a hug goodbye he barely noticed how hard she was trying to keep it together.

"Where's Hermione and Ron?" Al asked.

"Right here!" Hermione smiled at Albus and James. Lily saw her and gave her a hug so big Hermione nearly go the wind knocked out of her.

"Hey gorgeous." Hermione greeted her favorite niece.

"Where have you been?" Lily asked of her aunt.

"Busy." Ron replied for his wife. Coming up behind her. Everyone but Lily missed that look that went from Ron to Ginny.

A loud whistle came from the train.

"Okay you know what that means get on the train!" Ginny said to her children. "Get going I wont have you miss it now!"

"Where's Hugo and Rose?" James whispered Hermione.

"On the train." She replied flatly. Hermione was just as worried about her children as Ginny was of her own. At this moment Ron was waiting for the children to leave so he could go and rejoin Harry.

Lily didn't really know what else to say. There were so many questions but there was little time. She settled for giving everyone a great big hug. As if it would be the last hug she would give any of them for a while.

"Wait!" Al stopped his mother before she could push them both onto the train. "Where's dad? He has never missed sending us off."

"He's busy! But he'll write!" She smiled half heartily. The only thing she could do. Ginny waved to her children watching their innocent faces. There was a reason that Harry and her had decided not to tell them about what had happened to _them_ when they were at Hogwarts. People rarely spoke about it anymore and they had both denied any rumor that had come their way. It just wasn't something that they wanted their children to deal with. She sighed when the train started to move away from platform nine and three quarters. Ron and Hermione came by her side and they walked away slowly. Stares-like always-followed them, but they paid no attention this time. Their thoughts were nearly Twenty-six years away.

"Lily!" Lily's best friend Jessica was holding a door to a compartment open for her. "Come on!" The bright eyes blond smiled at her best friend surprised that they had lived the summer apart.

Lily ran over and slid into the tight compartment. Embracing Lily and then nearly tackling Hugo she finally settled down. Only to have a knock on the door come a few seconds later.

"Anything from the trolley dears?"

"What do you guys want?" Lily asked counting orders at the door shaking her head. Jessica was a tiny girl but she could eat like there was no tomorrow.

By the time Lily had ordered all her food she had been joined. A tall dark haired boy was ordering beside her.

She couldn't stop herself, something in her made her talk to the boy. "Hi." She smiled shyly.

He looked up a little amazed that she had talked to him. "Hi." He replied in a deep voice.

The awkward silence seemed to go on forever. Finally she looked at his robes. Slytherin, fifth year.

"My names Lily." She rushed the words, looking up into his eyes. There was an evil glint in them that made her catch her breath.

When he didn't answer she tried to think of something else to say. "Your new here." She stated the obvious. She took a quick glance around her. The trolley had moved on(she was having difficulty holding all the food) and she was alone in the hall with him.

"Ya just started. Had to see the headmaster to get these." He fingered his robes. She had to admit he looked a little awkward in them.

"Well I guess I better go." Lily moved a little away.

"See you around?" he asked.

"Defiantly!"

"Great, My names Tom by the way." In the time it took Lily to blink he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

"Must you take every course imaginable?" Hugo was pretty sure that his sister was crazy. Rose was just like their mother in the sense that she was to smart for her own good.

"Yes actually! _I_ don't want to end up like SOME people who decide that Hogwarts is not about learning how to use our magic, its about getting into all the cool parties and hooking up with any girl he lays his eyes on!" Rose slapped Hugo over the head with her papers, stalking off to go and join her own friends.

"Sheesh what's eating her?" Hugo rubbed his head of messy red hair.

Lily just shrugged her shoulders looking at her own course list. Potions, Transfiguration, Muggle Studies, Defense against the dark arts, Charms, Lily shook her head. Why was she not able to pay attention? She glanced around looking for the reason.

"Hello? Earth to Lily? Who are you looking for?" Hugo turned around jumping up and down to get a better look. Hugo looked exactly like his father, which meant that He and Lily looked like brother and sister even thought they were only cousins.

"I'm not looking for anyone." She lied quickly moving her attention to the Prefects who were telling all the Gryffindor's the new password. Nunquam- how original Lily thought.

"Ya okay. Come on let's go I'm tired." Hugo grabbed her arm and started pulling her up the steps moving her to the left and the right to avoid the trick ones.

Lily knew that she was being a little dramatic but she couldn't help it. She had looked threw the Slytherin table hundreds of times. He wasn't there. She even looked at all the faces lining all the other tables. He wasn't there either. He had disappeared much to her annoyance.

"What's up with her?" Jessica asked absentmindedly walking gracefully beside them.

"No idea. You going to tryouts?" Jessica and Hugo started chatting about the Quidditch team try-outs completely forgetting about Lily. Which suited her just fine. Sneaking out was so hard when people were following you around.

By the time Jessica had slumped into a moth eaten couch beside the fireplace and Hugo had joined her Lily was gone.

Slipping out of the crowded common room was easy for Lily. After all she was Harry Potter's daughter.

She avoided the main hallways and stuck to the near deserted ones. All the while trying to talk herself back to going to the common room. She had this nervous energy that flowed within her. It caused her not to be able to sit still-she had to be doing something-anything to get her mind off of him. Even if it meant looking for him.

"What am I doing?" she whispered to herself. Looking around perhaps? No, of course not I'm looking for him. Lily calmly walked the length of the hall looking for any hint that he might have been there. She then went to the dungeons, Slytherin's hallway and by half past one she was so exhausted that she fell asleep in the library.

Jessica was exhausted. Her over bearing mother had sent four letters already. She nudged Hugo awake and glanced around. Crap.

"Where's Lily?" She poked him in the stomach to hopefully get a response from him. Had they seriously fallen asleep in the common room?

"Whua askfein mie?" He mumbled not opening his eyes.

"Does she have to go exploring every night?" Jessica huffed.

"We have to go and look for her."

"Fine." Hugo knew that Jessica was over reacting-like always. But he might as well go look for his cousin now that she had woken him up past the point where he could fall back asleep.

They heaved themselves up and went out into the halls. A few minutes into their half hearted explorations they came face to face with a tall dark haired boy who seemed very eager to help them find their friend.

"How did you manage to get in here? I thought that the librarian-what's her name-kicked everyone out."

Lily heard the voice as if it was coming from a million miles away. Slowly she attempted to regain conscience-and recognize the voice threw the fog in her mind.

"Did you forget the password or something? No what am I talking about your brother is a Prefect and you were probably with him. Hello sleepy are you alive?"

The deep voiced person brushed some hair off her face.

"Hi." She sat up so fast when she recognized who it was that all the blood rushed to her head.

"Hey." He smiled. "Glad to see you're alive."

He grabbed a seat beside her. She immediately tried to straighten herself out to no avail-she still looked like a mess.

"So how did you get in?" He asked her again.

"Brother-Head Boy- not Prefect swiped the keys from him on my way here."

"Your brother has keys to the Library." Tom sounded impressed.

Lily smiled a little and just concentrated on not reviling that the only reason she was here was because she was trying to find him.

"He's nearly always here so McGonagall just gave him the keys so he could study without waking everyone up moving around the common room all the time."

"Wow special treatment." He smirked.

Lily forgot how cute he was and forgot how much she had wanted to talk to him. He sounded like he was making fun of her family. Now it was personal.

"What do you mean by that?" She said it in a monotone voice.

"Well your dad's Harry Potter right?" he said it like a question but she knew that he didn't mean it like that. He already seemed to know allot about her.

"Ya, so?"

"Harry Potter," He said the name like he was speaking of the Gods. "Obviously his children get special treatment. Key to the library?" He was talking to her like she was five.

"Ohh this thing is barely used and the restricted section is gone anyways McGonagall would give a key to anyone who asked." She rebutted now wondering what could have gone threw her mind to make her want to find him last night.

"Doubt it." He grinned leaning back in his chair.

"What do you want?" Lily thundered standing up suddenly.

"You were trying to find me last night." He yawned.

"No I wasn't." Lily's mind was screaming at her. HOW DID HE KNOW THAT?

"Yes you were."

"You couldn't possibly know that." She was frozen in place. Something about him made her want to run screaming but that other part of her wanted nothing more than to forget her classes and stay here. She concluded that that was the little irrational part of her.

Tom smiled this little secret smile that made Lily want to be able to read his mind.

"Your friends were looking for you. So I helped them only to find you here asleep and talking in your sleep."

No. Ohh crap! Lily bit her lip and winced.

"Seriously?" She whispered.

"Ya something about a dumb, black haired hotty."

Lily didn't trust herself to be able to come up with something to say to that. Waving to him and mumbling something about got to get to class she high tailed it out of there. Running into Jessica she made something up about her having to do some last minute stuff…about what Lily couldn't remember. She had just promised to explain it all later.

"Lily?" Jessica asked her before they parted ways.

"Have you ever heard of he who must not be named?" Jessica asked her friend. IT was something that she had heard her parents talk about and since her friend seemed to know everything Jessica was sure that Lily must have at least heard the term. But apparently not because Lily just shook her head and smiled before running off to Potions.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A quick glance behind him and off he went running so fast that he was not even sure that his feet touched the ground. Before he knew it, he was in the Forbidden Forest. Tom loves this place. It is where he can truly be himself and just come to think with no one bothering him. He slowed down as the shadows became larger and larger. He should be in Potions right now but-as his father put it- learning form experience is always better.

Maybe that's why he helped find that girl. Lily-he reminds himself, her name's Lily. _This is what you get for being unsociable. _Whatever. Tom has never needed friends, not until now.

He stops by the marked tree. It's only a little snake etched into the wood but still it is the mark, it is their mark.

"Took you long enough," A voice comes up from behind him.

"I was busy." He hated being reprimanded.

"Tomas you know your duty." The speaker come out from the shadows and glides towards him. He still does not know her name. But she is striking, long black hair and deathly pale skin that seems to fragile to be of any use. "Tomas." He words get sharper, harder.

"Yes, of course why else do you think I'm here? I'll get it done." He glares back at her as she moves a little bit forward seeming to grow taller with every step.

"Tomas I don't know what you are doing but get it done quickly, it's been twenty-six years and we have grown impatient."

"It wont be much longer-trust me I found my way in."

"Good, if you need any assistance-"

"I've got it under control." She nods and they grasp forearms in the usual salute. He nods once and walks away-not looking back. His plan is formed and for the first time in his life, he is sure of what he is doing. His plan seems flawless and by the time anyone figures out what he is doing events will be put into motion that cannot be stopped.

Stepping out of the forest and shedding the invisibility cloak, he steps back into the normal world.

"Lily," he mutters to himself. "Her name is Lily."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"I'm going to slap you." Rose was getting seriously annoyed at her cousin. "Lily concentrate!"

Lily shook her head trying to clear it. "Why? We already know this."

Rose and Lily were sitting in Muggle studies, a class that they both want to drop soon, as in the next few seconds.

"Ya well seriously your head has been in the clouds all day! What is wrong?"

"Nothing," She lied.

"Ya okay well when you want to talk to me you know where I am." Rose knew that pushing anything with her cousin was a bad idea. She tends not to talk a lot about her feelings.

"He missed Potions." Lily muttered.

"What?" Rose exclaimed a bit too loudly.

"Nothing." Lily decided to concentrate on her work. It seemed like the most harmless thing she could do.

Oh my god. Tom slid into the seat right next to Lily leaving Rose just standing there like an idiot. Oh my God.

"Hey." His low voice pierced her thoughts.

"Hi, you missed Potions." She did not ask it like a question but he still gave her an answer.

"Things to do." He brushed it off and gave her a sidelong glance. With her pale complexion and red hair, she did not look remarkable. It was only when he saw her bright green eyes that he noticed her-but probably not for the reasons that he should have.

"Ya well you missed a good lesson."

"Really? What was it about?" _Use your horrible social skills! He commanded himself, seriously Tom you have wait how long for this? _

"Ummm." Tom furrowed his brow-why is she not answering? What's wrong did she skip herself? He asked her that and she just shook her head trying to not meet his eyes. He turned away flabbergasted. Is she stupid? Why can't she string two words together.

_What are you thinking! Grrrrr._ Lily was about to knock her head on the table. What is wrong with her? Why can't she talk? She glanced at Tom in her proverbial vision. He is not looking at her.

They spent the rest of the class in awkward silence and when it was time to leave; they stood their awkwardly trying to get past each other, Lily eventually pushed past him and nearly ran down the hall.

"Okay I get it you like him." Rose declared in the middle of dinner after Lily was silent for nearly half and hour.

"Like who?" Hugo asked sitting up suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Tom, That's his name right?" Lily nodded.

"Tom? He's weird." Hugo said.

"Ya well she likes him."

"Do not,"

"Whatever.

"Are you guys ganging up on my little sister?" Albus came up from behind Lily and sat down next to her eating her barely touched food.

"She likes Tom." Rose says trying to figure out why Tom would be sitting with them he is very popular and almost never sits with them, Let alone talks to anyone not in seventh year like him-besides Lily-regularly.

"I do not." Lily could feel her cheeks heating up.

"Tom? Who's tom?" Albus took another bite of Lily's salad.

"Exactly." Hugo exclaimed, "no one knows him."

Lily was about to protest until Albus touched her arm, she glanced at him falling silent.

"What?" She mouths, the look in his eyes tells her that it is something serious so she says good-bye to Rose and Hugo before following Al out the great hall towards the dormitories.

"Al, what?"

"Dad sent us a letter."

"Really?" Lily smiled expectantly. Al still looked sullen.

"What?" She asks. He doesn't say anything just hands her the letter out of his bag.

Albus, Lily.

James and your mother are fine they send their Love. I need to talk to you so I have asked headmistress McGonagall if you can leave, the train will pick you up at seven thirty and I will be at the station to pick you up. Talk to no one and tell no one of where you are going, not even Hugo or Rose.

Love Dad

"Al,"

"I know." They were both worried. More than worried scared. It was usually mom that was the paranoid one Dad was always laid back and really easygoing. So what had changed?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Al shakes his head at his sister. She usually has every emotion under control. A habit she picked up from her mother. Yet now she was running up to give their father hug that would put three year olds to shame. Their dad does not seem to mind though as he returns the hug with a little less force than his fifteen-year-old daughter.

Al stands back watching him- he seems older, the wrinkles that were barely noticeable at the beginning of the summer now seem etched into his skin. Lily finally lets go of their father and turns to her brother. He is just standing their, his hands stuffed into his pockets uncomfortably everything about his posture states that he is preparing for the worst. Why else would their father call them out of school?

Harry Potter has not changed much in the last few decades. His hair still is unmanageable, his green eyes still take in every angle of a situation preparing for an onslaught, his hand twitches to his wand whenever there is the slightest unaccounted for movement. Old habits die-hard. He hugs his daughter a little tighter than necessary, for the first time in a long time he is scared. He knows that his son can see it all over his face but he also knows that information is one of the best defensives. Him and Ginny have been arguing for weeks. They started the Order back up again letting their Oldest child in on the secret that Harry has been trying to forget for the last twenty something years.

It is never going to end.

"Dad?" Al starts, his voice faltering for reasons that eluded him. Harry smiles in encouragement, he is at a loss for words too. "What's wrong?"

Harry takes his time answering. "I'll explain when we get there." He decides upon.

"Where?" Al asks.

Harry purses his lips and looks around, too many ears. Al takes up on the hint. Shutting his mouth, he follows his family outside. That's when he notices it. The guard essentially. About ten men and woman, Aurors, were in the station just outside of Platform 9 and 3/4 they were all dressed in black and all (even though most were wearing sunglasses) were watching them. Following the family that hurriedly rushed into a black town car that speed away faster than what was normal.

"Dad, why didn't we just apparate?" Lily asked her father. Confused-Harry doesn't really like cars that much.

"It's not safe."

The children glance at each other confused beyond words. "Not safe?" they say in harmony. "What do you mean not safe?" Al adds.

Harry gazes at his kids, it is so complicated. "There are people that make it not safe anymore to be a wizard or a witch. People who want us all to just…disappear."

"Dad? Who wants us all dead?" Al asks his voice barely more than a whisper. IN fact, he was not even sure if his voice would register over his beating heart.

Harry Potter did not answer their questions-which came more and more frequently as the trip went on-because honestly he did not know that he could answer them. For the first time in a long time he was at a loss for words.

"Okay ,Okay let me get this straight. We," Lily Potter points to herself and her brother, James her older brother(and apparently already in on it) was standing beside the couch where their mother sat at The Burrow. "We, get to know. Your kids" She points an accusing finger at her aunt and uncle. "My best friends and cousins don't get to know and we can't tell them." She stares at Ron and Hermione (who for the record do not even flinch)

"It was our decision." Hermione answers her niece. "It would be safer for them if they did not know."

For reason Albus was not buying it.

"You want us to lie?" Al asks, keeping his voice more reasonable than his sister's.

"yes." Their father answers at once.

"What is such the big deal?" Lily asks. She didn't get it what was causing their parents to freak out so much.

Ron talked for his best friend. He knows that it is hard for Harry to pull his children into this so Ron does all the talking himself. He relays what happened to them all when they went to Hogwarts. He falters a few times, when Lily's face drops and her eyes widen in horror. One of the biggest secrets in history, possibly the most important man in histories story was kept from his kids for nearly twenty years. The best friend was finding it difficult to continue. Lily and Albus stopped looking at their parents all together. Ron saw his worst fear if he had told his children about this. that they would never forgive them for not telling them sooner. He doubted teenagers would really see that all the secrets were for their own good.

When it was over Lily and Albus in unison got up and said that they wanted to go back to school. James took them their telling them to grow up and just accept that this was one of those secrets that they could not be told about until they were old enough. Lily was not listening.

"You knew and you didn't tell us?"

Her brother nods.

"Why?"

"I just couldn't." James says.

"That's why he wasn't there." Lily mumbles mostly to herself. "That's why he wasn't there to see us off for school."

She rakes a hand threw her messy red hair. "James Ron said it was over, that's another lie isn't it?" her brother thinks about this for maybe half a second before nodding again.

"It's not over and they can't tell you because they don't know what it is, all their getting is cryptic messages and people dieing."

"People are dieing?" Albus finally finds his voice.

James nods once more. Aware that he is going to have to explain to his parents why he told his siblings but at this point, he really does not care.

"The less people who know the better chances mom, dad and everyone have to figure this out. Okay? They just told you so you would keep your eyes open. And if anything, anything unusual happens you contact one of us." Lily and al nodded, they had had that said by everyone at least twelve times each.

The rest of the ride was slow and silent. Lily rested her head on her brother's shoulder as he told her everything was going to be okay. Usually she believed him; this time thought she was not so sure.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Al shakes his head at his sister. She usually has every emotion under control. A habit she picked up from her mother. Yet now she was running up to give their father hug that would put three year olds to shame. Their dad does not seem to mind though as he returns the hug with a little less force than his fifteen-year-old daughter.

Al stands back watching him- he seems older, the wrinkles that were barely noticeable at the beginning of the summer now seem etched into his skin. Lily finally lets go of their father and turns to her brother. He is just standing their, his hands stuffed into his pockets uncomfortably everything about his posture states that he is preparing for the worst. Why else would their father call them out of school?

Harry Potter has not changed much in the last few decades. His hair still is unmanageable, his green eyes still take in every angle of a situation preparing for an onslaught, his hand twitches to his wand whenever there is the slightest unaccounted for movement. Old habits die-hard. He hugs his daughter a little tighter than necessary, for the first time in a long time he is scared. He knows that his son can see it all over his face but he also knows that information is one of the best defensives. Him and Ginny have been arguing for weeks. They started the Order back up again letting their Oldest child in on the secret that Harry has been trying to forget for the last twenty something years.

It is never going to end.

"Dad?" Al starts, his voice faltering for reasons that eluded him. Harry smiles in encouragement, he is at a loss for words too. "What's wrong?"

Harry takes his time answering. "I'll explain when we get there." He decides upon.

"Where?" Al asks.

Harry purses his lips and looks around, too many ears. Al takes up on the hint. Shutting his mouth, he follows his family outside. That's when he notices it. The guard essentially. About ten men and woman, Aurors, were in the station just outside of Platform 9 and 3/4 they were all dressed in black and all (even though most were wearing sunglasses) were watching them. Following the family that hurriedly rushed into a black town car that speed away faster than what was normal.

"Dad, why didn't we just apparate?" Lily asked her father. Confused-Harry doesn't really like cars that much.

"It's not safe."

The children glance at each other confused beyond words. "Not safe?" they say in harmony. "What do you mean not safe?" Al adds.

Harry gazes at his kids, it is so complicated. "There are people that make it not safe anymore to be a wizard or a witch. People who want us all to just…disappear."

"Dad? Who wants us all dead?" Al asks his voice barely more than a whisper. IN fact, he was not even sure if his voice would register over his beating heart.

Harry Potter did not answer their questions-which came more and more frequently as the trip went on-because honestly he did not know that he could answer them. For the first time in a long time he was at a loss for words.

"Okay ,Okay let me get this straight. We," Lily Potter points to herself and her brother, James her older brother(and apparently already in on it) was standing beside the couch where their mother sat at The Burrow. "We, get to know. Your kids" She points an accusing finger at her aunt and uncle. "My best friends and cousins don't get to know and we can't tell them." She stares at Ron and Hermione (who for the record do not even flinch)

"It was our decision." Hermione answers her niece. "It would be safer for them if they did not know."

For reason Albus was not buying it.

"You want us to lie?" Al asks, keeping his voice more reasonable than his sister's.

"yes." Their father answers at once.

"What is such the big deal?" Lily asks. She didn't get it what was causing their parents to freak out so much.

Ron talked for his best friend. He knows that it is hard for Harry to pull his children into this so Ron does all the talking himself. He relays what happened to them all when they went to Hogwarts. He falters a few times, when Lily's face drops and her eyes widen in horror. One of the biggest secrets in history, possibly the most important man in histories story was kept from his kids for nearly twenty years. The best friend was finding it difficult to continue. Lily and Albus stopped looking at their parents all together. Ron saw his worst fear if he had told his children about this. that they would never forgive them for not telling them sooner. He doubted teenagers would really see that all the secrets were for their own good.

When it was over Lily and Albus in unison got up and said that they wanted to go back to school. James took them their telling them to grow up and just accept that this was one of those secrets that they could not be told about until they were old enough. Lily was not listening.

"You knew and you didn't tell us?"

Her brother nods.

"Why?"

"I just couldn't." James says.

"That's why he wasn't there." Lily mumbles mostly to herself. "That's why he wasn't there to see us off for school."

She rakes a hand threw her messy red hair. "James Ron said it was over, that's another lie isn't it?" her brother thinks about this for maybe half a second before nodding again.

"It's not over and they can't tell you because they don't know what it is, all their getting is cryptic messages and people dieing."

"People are dieing?" Albus finally finds his voice.

James nods once more. Aware that he is going to have to explain to his parents why he told his siblings but at this point, he really does not care.

"The less people who know the better chances mom, dad and everyone have to figure this out. Okay? They just told you so you would keep your eyes open. And if anything, anything unusual happens you contact one of us." Lily and al nodded, they had had that said by everyone at least twelve times each.

The rest of the ride was slow and silent. Lily rested her head on her brother's shoulder as he told her everything was going to be okay. Usually she believed him; this time thought she was not so sure.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 5

"Where were you?" was all Albus and Lily Potter heard for the next few days as their return to school-and why they left-became gossip.

Their standard, 'nowhere' response was complete bullshit and of course, no one believed it.

"Was it to do with your dad?" Rose was running out of questions.

"No but he was there. Hurry up we're going to be late." Running the last few steps Lily made it to Potions on time. She took her standard seat. Beside Rose who asked one last thing.

"Were you with Tom?"

"What?" Lily snapped back to look at her friend. "He was gone?"

"Ya, left around the same time you did haven't seen him since."

Lily tried not to let her friend see the though process that was going on in her head. Why did she really care where he was anyway she had no right no claim… For the rest of the day she wondered what it would be like to have a claim.

"You still thinking about it?" Albus asked his sister as she stared blankly into the fire.

"What?" She asked looking up for the first time in about half an hour. Her eyes were dry and they started to water as the moister came back to them. Albus didn't realize that the 'tears' were involuntary.

"Shhh, Lil don't cry." He murmured hugging her. "Dad will figure it out he always does." She just nodded.

"Why didn't they tell us." Her voice even.

"They wanted to protect us that's all. They don't need to tell us every little thing about their lives."

"Al, seriously. This isn't some little thing this is kind of big."

"Lil, they'll figure it out." His tone was getting more and more serious.

"Well shouldn't we help? I mean I don't want to be so useless." Real tears were coming now, though she blinked them back and tried to hide how scared she really might be.

"Were still in school Lil, there is no reason that we should be a part of this, they just told us so we watch out. But there are protections in this school Lily we are safe."

"You're joking right?" She stared at him eyes wide waiting for the punch line.

"No, why would I joke?"

"Albus did you not listen to dad talk? We are older than he was when this started and Hogwarts is not as safe as you think it is. If it were so safe then why would they have told us? Why would they want us to watch out for ourselves if it is so safe?"

He just shook his head. "Lil, you're over reacting."

"I'm going for a walk see you tomorrow."

She got up and left before she could say anything that might upset him.

Storming out of the school she punched the first thing she saw. It just happened to be a tree.

"Ow, OW!" She stuck her fist in her mouth. Turning when she heard muffled laughter. He eyes went wide as she spotted Tom leaning casually against a tree opposite hers.

"You okay?" He asked casually as if he hadn't just had a mild laugh attack.

She nodded again.

"You sure?"

Again, she nods.

"Then why is your fist still in your mouth?"

Shit. She drops it wiping the drool off her face.

"So what are you doing out here? Besides abusing the trees?" he takes a subtle step towards her, nothing intimidating-actually it had the opposite affect it made it all the more intimate.

"I'm mad."

"I see that."

"And confused."

He nods urging her to go on with his eyes.

"And really overwhelmed."

Why was she being so honest with him? It was scary how much she felt like she could talk to him about anything.

"That's it?" he smiled a little teasing her.

"Yep."

"Well then," he takes another step towards her taking something out of his pocket, "you are going to need this." he waves a little flask in front of her face.

"I don't drink."

"That's bullshit and you know it."

"How could you possibly know that I drink?"

He grinned a little. She liked how it made adrenaline rush threw her veins.

"You sure you don't want any?"

She glared at him wondering if he could hear her heart flutter.

"Okay no more for you." They were walking around the lake-well Tom was walking Lily was stumbling and hanging on to him so she would not fall.

"What? I'm not even tipsy yet!"

By way of answer, he let go of her and she tock about five steps before falling on the ground, which caused her to burst out laughing.

"Okay okay maybe I'm tipsy."

He smiled adoringly at her before joining her on the ground.

"Your more than tipsy." He comments.

"So? Why are you not falling over?" She slurs trying to grab the nearly empty bottle.

"Cause unlike you I can hold my liquor." He grins chugging the last little bit.

"What was that?"

"You don't want to know."

"So….." Lily unleashes her man eating smile-one she had not used since she seduced her last boyfriend Eric-long story. "Did you miss me?"

The grin on his face grew a little bit.

"What?"

"I said did you miss me? I was gone almost four whole days."

"Four days, wow yes I spent all of them in incredible agony. In fact they were considering knocking down my door as I was huddled on the floor trying to remember your face."

She burst out laughing. "your funny."

"Really? That's the first time I've heard that before."

"Your funny. There now you've heard it twice."

"Clever."

"I'm serious! Did you miss me."

"Yes I missed you and all your drunkenness."

That seemed to satisfy her. "Good, I missed you too."

"You did."

"Yep, you're the most interesting person I've met here. And I've been here for a while."

"Well tell me something then, why did you punch the tree."

"I was pissed."

"I got that but why?"

"My brother. We fought….we never fight…" she trials off lost in thought.

"Why were you fighting."

"It's a secret." She immediately forgets what she was worried about-one of the advantages of being drunk.

"So I'm not allowed to know."

She shakes her head smiling like a five-year-old.

"I'll get it out of you eventually."

"Good luck with that."

She leans in a bit looking him in the eye. "Where were you?"

"it's a secret." He leans in a bit lowering his head to be on the same level as her.

"I don't like secrets."

"Me nether."

She smiled wider flopping down so she's laying on her back. "I'm going to have a wicked headache tomorrow!" She says it like it's a good thing.

"We should get back."

"Why?" She props herself up on her elbows.

"Because someone might get worried."

"Who?"

"Your brother, your friends."

"Who's going to worry about you?"

"no one worries about me." He smiles down at her. Even in her drunken state, she notices how the smile doesn't reach his eyes.

"I'll worry about you." She declares.

He laughs helping her up. "Thank you."

"No problemo!"

"You are going to have a killer head ache tommorow."

"What?"

"nothing."


	8. Chapter 8

I know I know where have I been

**Disclaimer: I don't own it so don't ask.**

**Who's excited for the next movie! Apparently Harry gets naked….Ahh what a fabulous thought. **

**Don't ask where I'm going with this cause I have no idea.**

"You're a serious lightweight." Rose commented as Lily made it down to breakfast two days later.

"I know." She groans wondering when the great hall got so bright.

"So will you tell me who you were drinking with?" Rose asks.

Lily just shakes her head.

"But Lil! Why can't I know? I'm your best friend if you can't tell me…"

"Rose I would tell you if I could remember what happened two nights ago but I can't." that was a lie, sort of. Lily could remember who it was with but she could not remember what she and Tom had talked about.

"Were going to be late you know." Rose says picking up her bag. "you skipped yesterday I don't think that you skipping again is a good idea, Binns even noticed that you were gone."

That caused a fraction of a smile to light up on Lily's face. "I'll meet you there just let me get some more coffee 'K?"

"Sure, sure." Rose smiles indulgently at her friend wondering how Lily makes it so that Rose can never stay mad at her for very long.

She glances around her wondering where he is, was that always what he does, appears and then disappears faster than she can blink? Is that all she gets one night? She tried to clear her head with more coffee before taking one more glance around her. Nope, not here. She sighs-the way she was thinking, it was like she was addicted.

"So do you have a killer headache?" He sits down beside her in Professor Binns class, she didn't even know he was in it.

"Yes, thanks to you."

"Your welcome."

She glances at him for the first time, he's wearing long sleeves and long dark jeans, his hair is covered by a cross between a messenger cap and a fedora. It looked oddly adorable on him.

"Where were you the last two days?" She asks him trying to steady her breathing.

"Are you turning into my personal babysitter?"

"What?" She looks shocked and tried to read his completely indifferent expression, the boy would make a hell of a poker player. "Umm…no, I…"

"Lily, Joking." He laughs then and Lily finds her self chuckling a little in return, they now have the attention of the entire class.

"Mrs. Potter would you please quiet down?" Professor Binns remarks not even looking at them.

"Sorry, sir." She mumbles now trying really hard not to laugh. Most of the students quietly gossiped about them as Tom and Lily looked on.

"What are you doing on Friday?" Tom asks Lily a few minutes later.

"Umm, nothing that I can think of why?" She hopes that he cannot hear how her hart has picked up speed considerably.

If he had trouble finding the words than it was not apparent to Lily she barely noticed the slight hesitation that he made. "Would you like to go out with me on Friday?"

Her hesitation was much longer, and she tried to not let her jaw fall. "Like on a date?"

He nods trying not to smile at her expression. "Yes, like a date."

"Okay. Where are we going?" She was sure that him and half the class could hear her pounding heart and her erratic breath, a date, with Tom. Wow, she defiantly won the lottery.

"That's a surprise." He smiled with his little victory.

"I hate surprises." She mutters trying to stop her face from going red as he stares almost adoringly at her.

"Trust me you'll like this one."

**I know it was short and I'm sorry but the next chapter will be longer and full of fluff! Because after that I plan to up the drama and angst factor. It will get more creepy and hopefully more wicked, this was just a little scene that need to be there as a kind of in between kind of thing. **


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